Telangana Marks September 17 with Parallel Observances
By Shashank Pasupuleti
Hyderabad, Sept 17
Telangana on Tuesday witnessed two parallel observances of September 17, a date steeped in history and contested in memory. While the Union Government marked it as Hyderabad Liberation Day, the Congress-led state government observed it as Praja Palana Dinotsavam (People’s Governance Day).
The date recalls 1948, when the Indian Army’s Operation Polo ended the Nizam’s bid to remain independent. The surrender brought Hyderabad State into the Indian Union, after months of Razakar violence and the backdrop of the Telangana peasant uprising.
At the Secunderabad Parade Grounds, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led the Centre’s official celebrations with military parades, cultural performances, and an archival exhibition. The unveiling of a statue of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee added symbolic weight to the occasion.
In contrast, the state government organised its programme at Public Gardens, led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, beginning with tributes at the Gun Park Martyrs’ Memorial. The Congress government framed the day around democratic governance and citizen welfare.
Governor Jishnu Dev Varma separately reiterated that the state should formally recognise the day as Liberation Day, underscoring the ongoing political debate.
Timeline: September 17 in Telangana
1947 – India gains Independence; Nizam refuses to join the Union.
1947–48 – Rise of Razakars, accused of atrocities in Hyderabad State.
1946–51 – Telangana Peasant Struggle against feudal landlords.
Sept 13, 1948 – Indian Army launches Operation Polo.
Sept 17, 1948 – Nizam surrenders; Hyderabad merges with India.
1956 – Telangana merged with Andhra to form Andhra Pradesh.
2001–14 – Telangana movement revives, demanding statehood.
June 2, 2014 – Telangana becomes the 29th state of India.
2014–23 – Day marked as National Integration Day by BRS govt.
2022 – Centre begins formal Hyderabad Liberation Day celebrations.
2024–25 – Congress govt observes Praja Palana Dinotsavam; Centre continues Liberation Day at Parade Grounds.
Seventy-seven years later, September 17 remains more than a date — it is a canvas on which different political forces paint their version of history, reflecting Telangana’s layered journey from monarchy to democracy, from merger to statehood.
